2017 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

2015 10k World Champ Jordan Wilimovsky and 2016 Olympic champ Ferry Weertman proved once again that they’re the best in the world at that distance today in Lake Balaton, as the two duked it out for gold at the 2017 World Championships.

Two years ago Wilimovsky sailed to the world title, defeating Weertman, who won the silver, by over 12 seconds. Then last year in another close race, Weertman won Olympic gold with Wilimovsky just 3.4 seconds back for 5th place (days after placing 4th in the 1500m pool event).

Neither was involved in a big breakaway today, as the main pack was pretty tightly bunched after an early breakaway from Great Britain’s Jack Burnell and Austria’s David Brandl was swallowed up.

Weertman and Wilimovsky slowly but surely made their way to the front of the race, and in the mad sprint for gold, it was the Dutchman who got there first, just a tenth of a second ahead of the American. Weertman registered a time of 1:51:58.50, with Wilimovsky at 1:51:58.60 for silver.

In the battle for bronze, France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier, who won bronze at the Olympics last year and won the first gold medal of these championships in the 5k event, was less than a second back of those two for 3rd in 1:51:59.20. Burnell, who had been DQed both in Rio and at U.S. Nationals this year, took 4th in 1:52:00.80.

The second American Brendan Casey got inside the top-10, 9th in 1:52:18.60.

Except for winning the world title in 2015 and earning the automatic spot for Rio.

In his last three major international appearances in the 10k, he’s been the champion (Kazan, 2015), 5th (Rio), and 2nd (Budapest). Then there’s his 4th in the pool 1500. That’s a great record of consistency, if you ask me.

I’m with you on that. Even more excruciating is Alex Meyer coming in 4th in the 25k in ’13, when the top four were separated by less than 1 second. Five plus hours of swimming coming down to a mass finish, and one of the guys doesn’t get a medal.

About James Sutherland

James is currently a university swimmer for the Laurentian Voyageurs in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He is studying economics. Along with swimming, he also loves hockey. He's in his 14th season as a competitive swimmer.
Best Times - SCM (LCM)
50 FR - 24.56 (25.12)
100 FR - 53.58 (56.70)
200 FR - 1:56.07 (2:04.29)
1500 …